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Six Marys are mentioned in the New Testament, including Mary Magdalene, who is remembered this month in the church’s calendar. What can we learn from Mary’s story? We don’t have to be defined by our past: When Jesus encountered Mary, He cast seven demons out of her (Luke 8:2). As a result, her life was...

At the end of 2021, Torch took “a leap of faith” and ordered 1,000 Pathway audio Bible players containing the New Testament and Psalms read by the actor David Suchet. Knowing the power of Scripture to change lives, they planned to “give these Bibles for free to anyone in the UK losing their sight. 16...

Jesus, fresh from His baptism and fired with His new calling, bursts into Galilee. Coming upon four fishermen working on the shore of the lake, He says to them, ‘Follow me’. Without further ado or even a second thought, they abandon what they’re doing (and in the case of two of them, James and John,...

Twenty years ago, on 27th July 2003, a team from the BBC reported that the Loch Ness monster did not exist. They had combed every inch of the loch, using 600 sonar beams guided by satellite navigation, and still found nothing. The operation was covered in the BBC One documentary, Searching for the Loch Ness...

Six Marys are mentioned in the New Testament, including Mary Magdalene, who is remembered this month in the church’s calendar. What can we learn from Mary’s story? We don’t have to be defined by our past: When Jesus encountered Mary, He cast seven demons out of her (Luke 8:2). As a result, her life was...

The legend goes that St Christopher was a Canaanite who lived in the 3rd century.  He was a giant of a man, of fearsome appearance.  At first he decided to serve the devil, but when he discovered that the devil was afraid of Christ and His Cross, Christopher decided to serve Christ instead.  A nearby...

The response and support that victims and survivors can expect from the Church has been outlined in the House of Bishops’ guidance ‘Responding Well to Victims and Survivors of Abuse’. An easy-read summary of the guidance is now available on the Church of England website. The guidance came into effect in April 2022 and introduced...

Sadly, most of us know someone who makes us feel stressed. That awkward colleague at work, a selfish family member, an aggressive neighbour, or a friend who emotionally drains you. Whoever they are, beware: stress-giving people can seriously affect your mental – and physical – health. Travis Bradberry, the author of Emotional Intelligence 2.0, warns:...

During the cost-of-living crisis, Food Banks have become a necessity for many desperate families. When they are given food, people reveal a variety of emotions, from relief, happiness, and hope, to quiet sadness, resignation, and desperation. Most often they display a mixture of several of these feelings at the same time. I believe that our...

‘Solitude is a time when we withdraw from the company of others in order to give God our undivided attention’ (John Ortberg). The spiritual discipline of solitude is about spending time alone with God, to grow in relationship with Him and hear Him more clearly. This practice was a priority in Jesus’ life and ministry,...

Four hundred years ago, on 4th July 1623, William Byrd, the English Renaissance composer, died. Regarded as one of the greatest of all British composers, he is best known for his sacred music. However, he wrote in many of the forms current in England at the time, and his many-faceted but unique music is still...

How are the refugees who have come to the UK getting along? This month we continue our short series, with another story:  From the Revd Stephen Croft in Cheriton: Aziz came to us in the shadow of a friend, Habib, who was looking for a church to go to. They had fled Iran, because they dared...